WILLOW BEAUTY

The 'Willow Beauty' (''Peribatodes rhomboidaria'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is a common species of Europe, the Near East and North Africa.
The wings of this species are whitish, heavily speckled with brown or black dots, giving it a buff or grey appearance, and marked with dark fascia. Melanic forms sometimes occur. The wingspan is 40-48 mm. Either one or two broods are produced each year and the adults are on the wing from June to September . It flies at night and is attracted to light.
The larva is reddish-brown and feeds on a variety of trees and shrubs (see list below), but apparently never on willows. The species overwinters as a small larva.
#''The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.''

Contents

Recorded food plants

Subspecies

References

Recorded food plants

★ ''Betula'' - Birch

★ ''Camellia sinensis'' - Tea

★ ''Clematis''

★ ''Crataegus'' - Hawthorn

★ ''Hedera'' - Ivy

★ ''Malus'' - Apple

★ ''Prunus''

★ ''Taxus'' - Yew

★ ''Vitis'' - Grapevine

Subspecies

★ ''P. r. rhomboidaria''

★ ''P. r. sublutearia''

References

★ 'Chinery, Michael' ''Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe'' 1986 (Reprinted 1991)

★ 'Skinner, Bernard' ''Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles'' 1984